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definitions
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standby

or stand-by

[stand-bahy]
See more synonyms for standby on Thesaurus.com
noun, plural stand·bys.
  1. a staunch supporter or adherent; one who can be relied upon.
  2. something upon which one can rely and therefore choose or use regularly.
  3. something or someone held ready to serve as a substitute, especially a radio or television program used as a filler in case of cancellation of a regularly scheduled program.
  4. a traveler who is waiting for last-minute accommodations to become available on a plane, train, or other transport as a result of a cancellation.
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adjective
  1. kept readily available for use in an emergency, shortage, or the like: a standby player.
  2. of or relating to last-minute accommodations, the transport that offers them, or a traveler who is waiting for them: a standby flight.
  3. of or relating to a waiting period.
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Idioms
  1. on standby, in a state of readiness to act, respond, or be used immediately when needed.
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Origin of standby

First recorded in 1790–1800; noun, adj. use of verb phrase stand by

stand

[stand]
verb (used without object), stood, stand·ing.
  1. (of a person) to be in an upright position on the feet.
  2. to rise to one's feet (often followed by up).
  3. to have a specified height when in this position: a basketball player who stands six feet seven inches.
  4. to stop or remain motionless or steady on the feet.
  5. to take a position or place as indicated: to stand aside.
  6. to remain firm or steadfast, as in a cause.
  7. to take up or maintain a position or attitude with respect to a person, issue, or the like: to stand as sponsor for a person.
  8. to have or adopt a certain policy, course, or attitude, as of adherence, support, opposition, or resistance: He stands for free trade.
  9. (of things) to be in an upright or vertical position, be set on end, or rest on or as on a support.
  10. to be set, placed, fixed, located, or situated: The building stands at 34th Street and 5th Avenue.
  11. (of an account, score, etc.) to show, be, or remain as indicated; show the specified position of the parties concerned: The score stood 18 to 14 at the half.
  12. to remain erect or whole; resist change, decay, or destruction (often followed by up): The ruins still stand. The old building stood up well.
  13. to continue in force or remain valid: The agreement stands as signed.
  14. to remain still, stationary, or unused: The bicycle stood in the basement all winter.
  15. to be or become stagnant, as water.
  16. (of persons or things) to be or remain in a specified state, condition, relation, relative position, etc.: He stood in jeopardy of losing his license.
  17. to have the possibility or likelihood: He stands to gain a sizable profit through the sale of the house.
  18. Chiefly British. to become or be a candidate, as for public office (usually followed by for).
  19. Nautical.
    1. to take or hold a particular course at sea.
    2. to move in a certain direction: to stand offshore.
  20. (of a male domestic animal, especially a stud) to be available as a sire, usually for a fee: Three Derby winners are now standing in Kentucky.
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verb (used with object), stood, stand·ing.
  1. to cause to stand; set upright; set: Stand the chair by the lamp.
  2. to face or encounter: to stand an assault.
  3. to undergo or submit to: to stand trial.
  4. to endure or undergo without harm or damage or without giving way: His eyes are strong enough to stand the glare.
  5. to endure or tolerate: She can't stand her father.
  6. to treat or pay for: I'll stand you to a drink when the manuscript is in.
  7. to perform the duty of or participate in as part of one's job or duty: to stand watch aboard ship.
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noun, plural stands for 28–49, stands or, esp. after a numeral, stand for 50.
  1. the act of standing; an assuming of or a remaining in an upright position.
  2. a cessation of motion; halt or stop.
  3. a determined effort for or against something, especially a final defensive effort: Custer's last stand.
  4. a determined policy, position, attitude, etc., taken or maintained: We must take a stand on political issues.
  5. the place in which a person or thing stands; station.
  6. witness stand.
  7. a raised platform, as for a speaker, a band, or the like.
  8. stands, a raised section of seats for spectators; grandstand.
  9. a framework on or in which articles are placed for support, exhibition, etc.: a hat stand.
  10. a piece of furniture of various forms, on or in which to put articles (often used in combination): a nightstand; a washstand.
  11. a small, light table.
  12. a stall, booth, counter, or the like, where articles are displayed for sale or where some business is carried on: a fruit stand.
  13. newsstand: The papers usually hit the stands at 5 a.m.
  14. a site or location for business: After 20 years the ice-cream vendor was still at the same stand.
  15. a place or station occupied by vehicles available for hire: a taxicab stand.
  16. the vehicles occupying such a place.
  17. the growing trees, or those of a particular species or grade, in a given area.
  18. a standing growth, as of grass, wheat, etc.
  19. a halt of a theatrical company on tour, to give a performance or performances: a series of one-night stands on the strawhat trail.
  20. the town at which a touring theatrical company gives a performance.
  21. hive(def 2).
  22. Metalworking. a rolling unit in a rolling mill.
  23. Chiefly British. a complete set of arms or accoutrements for one soldier.
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Verb Phrases
  1. stand by,
    1. to uphold; support: She stood by him whenever he was in trouble.
    2. to adhere to (an agreement, promise, etc.); affirm: She stood by her decision despite her sister's arguments.
    3. to stand ready; wait: Please stand by while I fix this antenna.
    4. to get ready to speak, act, etc., as at the beginning of a radio or television program.
    5. to be ready to board a plane, train, or other transport if accommodations become available at the last minute.
  2. stand down,
    1. Law.to leave the witness stand.
    2. to step aside; withdraw, as from a competition: I agreed to stand down so that she could run for the nomination unopposed.
    3. to leave or take out of active work or service: to stand down some of the ships in the fleet.
  3. stand for,
    1. to represent; symbolize: P.S. stands for “postscript.”
    2. to advocate; favor: He stands for both freedom and justice.
    3. Informal.to tolerate; allow: I won't stand for any nonsense!
  4. stand in with,
    1. to be in association or conspiracy with.
    2. to enjoy the favor of; be on friendly terms with.
  5. stand off,
    1. to keep or stay at a distance.
    2. to put off; evade.
  6. stand on,
    1. to depend on; rest on: The case stands on his testimony.
    2. to be particular about; demand: to stand on ceremony.
    3. Nautical.to maintain a course and speed.
  7. stand out,
    1. to project; protrude: The piers stand out from the harbor wall.
    2. to be conspicuous or prominent: She stands out in a crowd.
    3. to persist in opposition or resistance; be inflexible.
    4. Nautical.to maintain a course away from shore.
  8. stand over,
    1. to supervise very closely; watch constantly: He won't work unless someone stands over him.
    2. to put aside temporarily; postpone: to let a project stand over until the following year.
  9. stand to,
    1. to continue to hold; persist in: to stand to one's statement.
    2. to keep at steadily: Stand to your rowing, men!
    3. to wait in readiness; stand by: Stand to for action.
  10. stand up,
    1. to come to or remain in a standing position: to stand up when being introduced.
    2. to remain strong, convincing, or durable: The case will never stand up in court. Wool stands up better than silk.
    3. Slang.to fail to keep an appointment with (someone, especially a sweetheart or date): I waited for Kim for an hour before I realized I'd been stood up.
  11. stand up for,
    1. to defend the cause of; support: No one could understand why he stood up for an incorrigible criminal.
    2. to serve a bridegroom or bride, as best man or maid (matron) of honor.
  12. stand up to, to meet or deal with fearlessly; confront: to stand up to a bully.
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Idioms
  1. stand a chance/show, to have a chance or possibility, especially of winning or surviving: He's a good shortstop but doesn't stand a chance of making the major leagues because he can't hit.
  2. stand pat. pat2(def 6).
  3. stand to reason. reason(def 18).
  4. take the stand, to testify in a courtroom.
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Origin of stand

before 900; Middle English standen (v.), Old English standan; cognate with Old Saxon standan, Middle Dutch standen, Old High German stantan, standa, standan; akin to Latin stāre to stand, sistere, Greek histánai to make stand, Sanskrit sthā to stand, Old Irish at-tá (he) is

Synonyms

See more synonyms for stand on Thesaurus.com
25. abide, stomach.

Synonym study

25. See bear1.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for stand-by

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • There was the Bald'in, stand-by old and good as bread; and there were all the rest.

    Meadow Grass

    Alice Brown

  • At last the maneuver was completed and the engines shut down to stand-by.

  • The remainder of the birds we cooked later in the day, intending them as a stand-by.

  • However, the great “stand-by,” as they say out in that land, was the fish.

    By Canoe and Dog-Train

    Egerton Ryerson Young

  • Down your helm,” roared the captain; “stand-by to lower away the boats.

    The Red Eric

    R.M. Ballantyne

British Dictionary definitions for stand-by

stand

verb stands, standing or stood (mainly intr)
  1. (also tr) to be or cause to be in an erect or upright position
  2. to rise to, assume, or maintain an upright position
  3. (copula) to have a specified height when standingto stand six feet
  4. to be situated or locatedthe house stands in the square
  5. to be or exist in a specified state or conditionto stand in awe of someone
  6. to adopt or remain in a resolute position or attitude
  7. (may take an infinitive) to be in a specified positionI stand to lose money in this venture; he stands high in the president's favour
  8. to remain in force or continue in effectwhatever the difficulties, my orders stand
  9. to come to a stop or halt, esp temporarily
  10. (of water, etc) to collect and remain without flowing
  11. (often foll by at) (of a score, account, etc) to indicate the specified position of the parties involvedthe score stands at 20 to 1
  12. (also tr ; when intr , foll by for) to tolerate or bearI won't stand for your nonsense any longer; I can't stand spiders
  13. (tr) to resist; surviveto stand the test of time
  14. (tr) to submit toto stand trial
  15. (often foll by for) mainly British to be or become a candidatewill he stand for Parliament?
  16. to navigate in a specified directionwe were standing for Madeira when the storm broke
  17. (of a gun dog) to point at game
  18. to halt, esp to give action, repel attack, or disrupt an enemy advance when retreating
  19. (of a male domestic animal, esp a stallion) to be available as a stud
  20. (also tr) printing to keep (type that has been set) or (of such type) to be kept, for possible use in future printings
  21. (tr) informal to bear the cost of; pay forto stand someone a drink
  22. stand a chance to have a hope or likelihood of winning, succeeding, etc
  23. stand fast to maintain one's position firmly
  24. stand one's ground to maintain a stance or position in the face of opposition
  25. stand still
    1. to remain motionless
    2. (foll by for) USto tolerateI won't stand still for your threats
  26. stand to someone Irish informal to be useful to someoneyour knowledge of English will stand to you
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noun
  1. the act or an instance of standing
  2. an opinion, esp a resolutely held onehe took a stand on capital punishment
  3. a halt or standstill
  4. a place where a person or thing stands
  5. Australian and NZ
    1. a position on the floor of a shearing shed allocated to one shearer
    2. the shearing equipment belonging to such a position
  6. a structure, usually of wood, on which people can sit or stand
  7. a frame or rack on which such articles as coats and hats may be hung
  8. a small table or piece of furniture where articles may be placed or storeda music stand
  9. a supporting framework, esp for a tool or instrument
  10. a stall, booth, or counter from which goods may be sold
  11. an exhibition area in a trade fair
  12. a halt to give action, etc, esp one taken during a retreat and having some duration or some success
  13. cricket an extended period at the wicket by two batsmen
  14. a growth of plants in a particular area, esp trees in a forest or a crop in a field
  15. a stop made by a touring theatrical company, pop group, etc, to give a performance (esp in the phrase one-night stand)
  16. Southern African a plot or site earmarked for the erection of a building
  17. (of a gun dog) the act of pointing at game
  18. a complete set, esp of arms or armour for one man
  19. military the flags of a regiment
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See also stand by, stand down, stand for, stand in, standoff, stand on, stand out, stand over, stand pat, stand to, stand up
Derived Formsstander, noun

Word Origin

Old English standan; related to Old Norse standa, Old High German stantan, Latin stāre to stand; see stead
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for stand-by

n.

also standby, 1796, originally nautical, of a vessel kept nearby for emergencies, from stand (v.) + by. In civil aviation, as an adjective meaning "without a booked ticket," from 1961. The verbal phrase stand by "await, support" is from 13c. As an order to hold one's self in readiness, it is recorded from 1660s.

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stand

v.

Old English standan (class VI strong verb; past tense stod, past participle standen), from Proto-Germanic *sta-n-d- (cf. Old Norse standa, Old Saxon and Gothic standan, Old High German stantan, Swedish stå, Dutch staan, German stehen), from PIE root *sta- "to stand" (see stet).

Sense of "to exist, be present" is attested from c.1300. Meaning "to pay for as a treat" is from 1821. Phrase stands to reason (1620) is from earlier stands (is constant) with reason. Phrase stand pat is originally from poker (1882); stand down in the military sense of "go off duty" is first recorded 1916. Standing ovation attested by 1968; standing army is from c.1600.

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stand

n.

"pause, delay," Old English, from the root of stand (v.). Meaning "place of standing, position" is from c.1300; figurative sense is from 1590s. Sense of "action of standing or coming to a position" is attested from late 14c., especially in reference to fighting. Meaning "raised platform for a hunter or sportsman" is attested from c.1400.

Sense of "stall or booth" is first recorded c.1500. Military meaning "complete set" (of arms, colors, etc.) is from 1721, often a collective singular. Sense of "standing growth of trees" is 1868, American English. Theatrical sense of "each stop made on a performance tour" is from 1896. The word was formerly also slang for "an erection" (1867).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Idioms and Phrases with stand-by

stand

In addition to the idioms beginning with stand

  • stand a chance
  • stand at ease
  • stand by
  • stand corrected
  • stand down
  • stand fast
  • stand for
  • stand guard
  • stand in awe
  • stand in for
  • standing joke
  • standing on one's head
  • stand in good stead
  • standing order
  • stand off
  • stand on
  • stand one's ground
  • stand on one's own feet
  • stand out
  • stand over
  • stand pat
  • stand still for
  • stand the gaff
  • stand the sight of
  • stand to reason
  • stand up
  • stand up and be counted
  • stand up for
  • stand up to
  • stand up with

also see:

  • can't stand the sight of
  • heart misses a beat (stands still)
  • (stand) in awe of
  • it stands to reason
  • know where one stands
  • make a stand
  • make one's hair stand on end
  • not have (stand) an earthly chance
  • take a stand
  • without a leg to stand on
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The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.